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WHAT EVERY WRITER 
SHOULD KNOW 



BY 

SAMUEL H. REESE 

l 

PROOF READER 



INFORMATION SUCCINCT AND CLEAR 



^§ 



Baltimore, Md. 
The Sun Book and Job Printing Office Inc. 
1916 



lfc-/f&!3 



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I -9 1916 

)CI.A4299n.l 



CONTENTS 



RULES AND STYLE OF COMPOSITION 

Page 

Abbreviations 31 

Capitalization 23-25 

Do Not Capitalize 25 

Figures 32 

Italic 33 

Pitfalls of the English Language 34-40 

Proper Use of Verbs 41, 42 

Relative Pronouns 40 

Punctuation 7, 8 

Apostrophes 18 

Brackets 16, 17 

Colons 14 

Commas » 8-13 

Dashes 17, 18 

Divisions '. 20-22 

Exclamation Points 15 

Hyphens 15, 16 

Interrogation Points 14 

Parentheses 16 

Periods 14 

Quotations 18-20 

Semicolons 13 

Quicksands 43 

Spacing 33 

Spelling 26-30 

Suggestions 6 

Words and Phrases to Be Avoided 44-48 



Copyright, 1916 

By 
Samuel H. Reese 



PREFACE 

"A slip of the tongue" is the excuse offered for mamy 
mistakes in spoken discourse, but no such license can be 
granted in written language. Some of the most common 
errors of diction, grammar and spelling are summarized 
in this book. Included also are concise rules for punc- 
tuation and capitalization, and many hints and don'ts for 
the guidance of the writer, proof reader, printer, teacher, 
scholar, stenographer and business man, ali of whom, 
being merely human and not infallible, are often threat- 
ened by the pitfalls that beset the path to perfect literary 
expression. 



SUGGESTIONS 

Typewritten copy is preferred. Write on one side of 
the paper only. 

Corrections in figures should not be written över the 
originals. 

Abbreviations must not be used unless they are to 
be printed as written. 

Particular attention should be given to the spelling of 
proper names, foreign words and technical terms. 

Write plainly on margin ali alterations from proof, and 
do not interline. If more display is desired, indicate it. 

On no account should the paragraphing of çopy be 
left to the compositor. This is work which peculiarly 
devolves on the writer. 

A single underscore means italic; a double underscore, 
small capitals; a triple underscore, capitals. Avoid for- 
eign phrases and expressions when English will do. 



(6) 



RULES AND STYLE OF COMPOSITION 



PUNCTUATION 

Clearness of thought and the accüracy of expression 
require acquaintance with both the theory and practice 
of punctuation — the art of dividing written or printed 
language into sentences and parts of sentences by means 
of marks or points to enable the reader to comprehend 
at a glance the ideas or sentiments intended to be con- 
veyed by the writer, which without their aid it would be 
difficult to seize, and often impossıble to determine with 
certainty. 

Of the two modes of punctuation — the rhetorical or 
close, and the grammatical or free — the advantage of the 
one founded on grammar is that it unfolds the meaning 
of language and does not confuse the reader by use of 
unnecessary points. The kind of mark depends less on 
the connecting word than on the construction and nature 
of the sentence. it is not incorrect to begin sentences, 
or even paragraphs, with such words as "and," "but" and 
"for." 

If any article, poem or advertisement is worth reading, 
it should be exhibited in a form not offensive to taste, to 
say the least. The omission or the improper insertion of 
points may cause even the simplest class of productions 
to be misunderstood. Printers and proof readers are not 
mind readers, and the sense intended by a writer is 
sometimes so distorted through faulty punctuation that 
the meaning is lost. f 

Two examples in punctuation: 

Husband your resources. — Husband, your resources. 

He is an old and experienced man. in vice and wicked- 
ness he is never found; in opposing the works of iniquity 
he takes delight; in the downfall of his neighbors he 
never rejoices; in the prosperity of any of his fellow- 
creatures he is always ready to assist; in destroying 
the peace of society he takes no pleasure; in serving the 
Lord he is uncommonly diligent. — He is an old and expe- 

(7) 



8 What Every Writer Should Know 

rienced man in vice and wickedness. He is never found 
in opposing the works of iniquity; he takes delight in 
the downfall of his neighbors; he never rejoices in the 
prosperity of any of his fellow-creatures; he is always 
ready to assist in destroying the peace of society; he 
takes no pleasure in serving the Lord; he is uncommonly 
diligent is sowing discord among his friends. 



[The îndex (hand), three stars, the caret, the brarce, 
marks of ellipsis, leaders, accents, marks of quantity, the 
cedilla, the tilde, marks of reference (the asterisk, the dag- 
ger, the double dagger, the section, parallel lines, the 
paragraph) — every little sign has a meaning of its own.] 

COMMAS 

The comma marks the smallest grammatical divisions in 
language, and commonly represents the shortest patise 
in reading. This point should not be inserted where the 
sense is continuous, but must be used when its omission 
would occasion ambiguity. No pause mark is admissible 
between the nominative and the predicate. Use commas 
and semicolons as you would make stops in a sentence 
when reading it aloud. 

Omit the comma between minutes and seconds, miles 
and laps, feet and inches, and between o'clock and A. M., 
P. M., ete. 

in amounts expressed with four figures or more, as 
7,899 and $9,746.54, the comma is used. This applies 
also to tabular work. 

The comma is used after "Resolved," "Whereas," 
"Ordered" (followed by a capital letter), as: "Resolved, 
That the course," ete. 

Two clauses that depend on each other are separated 
by a comma: "Tili we can go alone, we must lean on 
the hand of a guide." 

The comma should be omittsd between two adjectives 
when the first qualifıes the second adjective, as: "He 
owns a beautiful white horse." 

Place the comma before and after a semi-parenthetical 
or intermediate phrase, as: "The benevolent and pious 
mam is, on the whole, a happy man." 

Use the comma at the end of a supposition, as-: "If 
it is not rarining, I must go." (The qualifying clause is 
usually placed at the beginning of a sentence.) 



What Every Writer Should Know 9 

Before and after "today," "on Tuesday," "yesterday," 
"tomorrow," ete, where the sense is continuous, leave out 
the comma, as: "He was yesterday offered the position." 

Omit the comma before and after phrases not express- 
ing residence, such as: "President Willard of the B. & O. 
was present;" "Engineer Jones of Train No. 2 was 
injured." 

A comma is put after a word or an expression used 
independently in addressing either a person or an object: 
"Antonio, light my lamp within my chamber;" "Help me, 
Cassius, or I sink." 

Omit the comma in street, telephone, lodge, assembly 
and statute number. Say: Circuit Court No. 2; Laf ayette 
Lodge No. 40, I. O. O. F.; Room No. 10 Hotel Emerson; 
Pier 8 Light-street wharf. 

Transposed words, phrases and clauses are usually set 
off by commas: "Doubtless, the man is guilty; the evi- 
dence, however, is not conelusive." "Whom ye ignorantly 
worship, Him I declare unto you." 

Use commas after names with places or States con- 
nected by "of," as: "Mr. John Taylor, of Maryland." If 
last name only is given, do not use the comma; thus: 
"Jones of Virginia," "Smith of Maryland." 

Place the comma before and after a clause introduced 
by "that" when "namely" is understood before it, as: 
"The proposition by the Bulletin, that paper money should 
be made a full legal tender, has been fully discussed." 

When the conjunetions "if" and "because" are used 
to bind closely togeth.er two clauses between which they 
are placed, the comma is unnecessary, as: "You may 
leave if you will;" "He went to school because he wanted 
to learn." 

If the second of two words united by "and" or "or" 
is inserted as an after-thought or for the sake of em- 
phasis, it may be pointed off by commas: "A sense of 
propriety would often interrupt, and exclude, an impu- 
tation of unworthy motives." 

Short quotations and expressions that resemble quota- 
tions are not always separated by commas from introduc- 
tory clauses: "Dr. Brown says The benevolent spirit is 
universal,' and I believe it;" "it is true that every man 
is wretched in proportion to his vices." 

Adjectival, participial, appositive and absolute phrases 
should be separated from the context by commas: 
"Faithful to his promise, he assisted me in obtaining 



10 What Every Writer Should Know 

employment;" "Having lost the good opinion of friends, 
it is difficult for us to reclaim it;'' "Ali in ali, he is a good 
fellow." 

Put a comma after an adverb or an adverbial phrase t 
when used a:s a connective, or when it modifıes a clause or ' 
a sentence; if used intermediately, place the comma both 
before and after the adverb or phrase: "Why, these are 
true testimonies;" "Punctuality is, without doubt, a good 
quality." 

Two clauses united by "and," "for," "but," "as," or an 
equivalent word, are usually separated by a comma if 
one clause is perfect in itself and the other is added as a 
matter of inference, contrast or explanation: "Make the 
proper use of your time, as (for) the loss of it can never 
be regained." 

When two words belong to the same part of speech 
and are connected by "and," "or," "nor," the comma is 
not used; if without a conjunction, they are separated by 
a comma: "Supreme and undivided homage is paid to 
goodness and truth;" "The dignity of a man consists in 
thought, intelligence." 

Also, in a series of words the comma is usually omitted 
before the conjunction; but the comma should be put after 
the last noun in a series if it is not joined to the others 
by a conjunction: "Industry, honesty and temperance are 
essential to happiness;" "Reputation, virtue, happiness, 
depend on choice of companions." 

in two or more phrases or clauses in the same con- 
struction omit the comma before the conjunction: "No 
one ought unnecessanly to wound the feelings of his 
neighbors or to insult their religious prepossessions;" 
"Regret for the past, grief at the present and anxiety 
respecting the future are plagues which affect men." 

When the fırst clause of a sentence makes good sense 
of itself and the second is explanatory, the comma is 
inserted before a present participle that is used instead 
of a relative and a verb: "The path of mere power is 
that of the cannon-ball, destroying (which destroys) 
everything in its course." 

If two contrasted or related words, united by either 
of the conjunctions "but," "though," "yet," "as well as," 
qualify a following noun or phrase, or refer to the same 
preposition, the comma may be omitted: "He was a 
great though an erring man;" "Hercules had the strength 
as well as the courage of the lion." 



What Every Writer Should Know 11 

But if the adverb "not," either with or without a con- 
junction, comes between two such words, a comma should 
be used after each to İndicate their common dependence 
on the last part of the sentence, as: "The strong and 
violent emotions are the natural product of an early, if 
not of a savage, state of society." 

If a negative word or phrase is used before an affirma- 
tive one and does not begin the sentence, the phrases 
are separated by a comma, not only from each other, but 
from that part of the sentence with which they are con- 
nected: "The greatest evils arise to human society, not 
from wild beasts, but from untamed passions." 

A relative clause that is exp1anatory of the antecedent 
or presents an additional thought takes a comma: "Study 
Nature, whose laws are interesting." But the comma is 
omitted before a relative clause that restricts the general 
notion of the antecedent to a particular sense: "Every 
teacher must love a boy who is attentive and docile." 

When a sentence is divided and the s^cond clause is 
complete,with subject and predicate,use a comma, although 
connected by a coniunction (or disjunctive. "or," "but." 
ete), as in the followin^: "He listened to the statement, 
and he then aereed to the proposition." Ot^erwis<* omit 
comma, as : "He listened to the statement and agreed," ete. 

If a phrase beginning with a preposition, an adverb 
or a conjunetion relates to or modifıes the preceding part 
of a sentence, a comma is unnecessary, if the parts are 
closely connected in sense; otherwise use the comma: 
"The idea is very happily arjolied under one of its 
forms;" "The idea is very happily applied, at least under 
one of its forms." 

Two correlative expressions united by the conjunetion 
"as" or "than" are written without a point between them; 
but when united by any other word than these conjunc- 
tions, the correlative expressions are distinguished by a 
comma: "Men are never so easily deceived as when they 
plot to deceive others;" "But though learned and method- 
ical, yet the teacher was not a pedant." 

Words or phrases contrasted with each other, or having 
a mutual relation to others that follow them, în the same 
clause, are separated by commas: "False delicacy is 
affectation, not politeness;" "The author was a great 
poet, but a bad man." (No point is necessary before a 
phrase beginning with "but" ir the sense of "except": 
"None are poor but the mean in mind.") 



12 What Every Writer Should Know 

When a verb is omitted to avoid repetition, its place 
should be supplied by a comma: "War is the law of 
violence; peace, the law of love." But there are many 
exceptions to this rule. The general practice is to omit 
the comma arıd change the semicolon before it into a 
comma, unless clearness and precision demand its inser- 
tion, as: "Reading maketh a full man, conference a ready 
man, and writing an exact man." 

The comma may be omitted before "that" when the 
clause on which the conjunction depends does not pre- 
cede the remark but is thrown in between its parts; but 
when the conjunction is omitted, the comma should be 
used. Thus: "in the time of Socrates, it is said that phi- 
losophy was brought down from Heaven to dwell among 
men;" "in the time of Socrates, it is said, philosophy 
was brought down from Heaven to dwell among men." 

Two nouns or pronouns in apposition, or a noun and 
a pronoun, are not separated by a comma if they are 
regarded as a proper name or a single phrase: "The poet 
Milton wrote good prose and better poetry;" "He himself 
is the editör of the work." But a noun or a pronoun 
and a phrase, or two or more phrases, when put in 
apposition are separated by a comma from each other, 
and, if the sentence or the clause is unfınished, from 
what follows: "We, the people of the United States, 
are lovers of republicanism." 

Therefore. — This word may be set off by commas when 
it is of a parenthetical nature or obstructs the flow of the 
composition. it is left unpointed when it coalesces easily 
with the other parts of a sentence. Thus: "Music has 
charms, and therefore ought to be admired. If, therefore, 
you have a<n opportunity of learning that delightful art, 
study it with avidity." 

Perhaps. — The adverb coalesces with the context in this 
example: "Perhaps I will give it." There is a harshness 
in this collocation: "Poverty, perhaps, is the most fertile 
source of literary crimes." 

When used as conjunctions, the following words are 
divided by commas from the context: 

Hotvever. — "We must, however, pay deference to the 
opinions of the wise, however much they are contrary to 
our own." 

Now. — "I have now explained it; and, now, what is your 
action?" 

Then. — "On these facts, then, I then rested my case." 



What Every Writer Should Know 13 

Too. — "I found, too, a theatre there; but everybody was 
too particular." When placed at the end of a sentence 
or a clause, this conjunction must not be separated from 
the context by a comma. 

Indeed. — "The young man was indeed culpable, though, 
indeed, he conducted himself well in other respects." 

Besides. — "Besides him, there was another man who 
acted in the same manner. There were present, besides, 
several ladies, who seemed to give their approbation." 
The same rule is applicable to the word "notvvithstanding." 

SEMICOLONS 

The semicolon separates such parts of a sentence as 
are somewhat less closely connected than those in which 
the comma is used. 

Ali short sentences in indirect testimony are separated 
by semicolons. in direct testimony use the period. 

in proceedings of Legislature or Council, court matters, 
ete, use semicolon before the words "passed," "adopted," 
"rejected," "referred," and similar words, when run up. 
When paragraphed, use period. 

When several short sentences follow one another and 
are slightly connected in sense or in construction, they are 
usually separated by semicolons: "Stones grow; vege- 
tables grow and live; animals grow, live and feel." 

A semicolon is placed between two or more parts of a 
sentence when these, or any of them, are divisible by a 
comma into smaller parts, as the following: "The gentle- 
man will probably be here today; but if he should not be, 
yöu will excuse him." 

Use semicolons in a specifîcation of particulars, or 
subjects enumerated, when they consist each of a dis- 
junet pair of words, or of a single word or phrase, but 
slightly connected vvith the others: "The operations of the 
mind are three — namely: 1. Simple apprehension; 2. Judg- 
ment; 3. Discourse or reasoning." 

When in a series of expressions the particulars depend 
on the fırst or the last part of a sentence, they should be 
separated from each other by a semicolon, if they are 
either laid down as distinet propositions or are of a com- 
pound nature: "To give preference to honor above gain, 
when they stand in competition; to despise every advan- 
tage which cannot be attained without dishonest arts; to 
brook no meanness, and to stoop to no dissimulation — 
these are the indications of a great mind." 



14 What Every Writer Should Know 



COLONS 

The colon is plaçed in a sentence between parts less 
closely connected than those which are divided by a 
semicolon, but not so independent as separate, distinct 
sentences. 

Though the semicolon or the period may be more service- 
able, there are many cases in which the use of the colon 
brings out the idea of a writer with greater facility. 

The word immediately following a colon usually, but 
not always, begins with a capital letter. 

If quotations or remarks tbat extend to two or more sen- 
tences are formally or specially introduced, the colon is 
preferable to any other point. 

Put the colon after an introductory word, phrase or 
cla-use, and at the point of transition between two lead- 
ing members of a sentence, as "Gemlemen:" and "He 
spoke as follows:" 

A colon should be put after a clause that is complete 
in itself but is followed, without a conjunction, by some 
remark, inference or illustration: "Avoid affectation: it is 
a contemptible weakness." "Cowards die many times 
before their deaths: the valiant never taste death but 
önce." 

PERIODS 

The period marks the end of a complete declarative 
sentence. 

Per cent. takes the period. 

Use the period in time and distance. 

in a series of half-measure names and in side heads 
use the period. 

Omit the apostrophe and use the period in well- 
established abbreviations. 

Put the period between dollars and cents in ali reading 
matter; also, in names of horses and boats with simple 
initials — J. O. B., Lottie M. But say C sharp, B flat, 
Company H (always spelling out company). 

INTERROGATION POINTS 

The interrogation point shows that a question is asked 
in the words to which it is annexed, but it should not be 
employed when it is only affırmed that a question has 
been asked. 

This point is also used to express doubt or to mark a 
query. 



What Every Writer Should Know 15 

exclamatıon poınts 

The note of exclamation indicates passion or emotion. 
Use after interjections or clauses containing them. Avoid 
the immoderate use of exclamations. 

Sentences, clauses or phrases beginning with the 
aaverbs "how" and "what" should have this point, unless 
they denote affirmation or inquiry. 

"O" should be used in direct address to a person or 
personifîed object, without the exclamation mark imme- 
diately after it. Use "Oh" in exclama£ions where no 
direct appeal or address is made: "O my countryman!" 
"O Time!" "Oh, what a glorious part you act!" "Oh that 
you were enlightened!" "Oh! Nothing is thought of it." 
"Oh yes!" "Ah mei" "Alas, my noble boy!" 



HYPHENS 

The hyphen joins the constituent parts of compound 
and derivative words. it also divides words into syllables. 

Monosyllables with suffıxes used as adjectives invariably 
take the hyphen. 

Âs a rule, nouns of more than one syllable taking suf- 
fixes should hare the hyphen; also, those of one syllable 
taking suffixes with more than one syllable. 

Fractions when spelled should be compounded. 

Omit the hyphen in "ex offıcio," "ante bellum," "prima 
facie," "per diem " in ali cases. 

Compounds of such words as "quasi," "fellow," "pro," 
"sub," "non," "vice," "ante," "anti," "semi," "post," "half," 
"pseudo," "inter" and "şelf" usually take the hyphen. 

"Postmaster General," "Attorney General," "district 
attorney," "brigadier general," "majör general," "deputy 
sherifT," "round sergeant," "lieutenant commander," ete, 
are two words. 

Mr. So-and-so, you should never confuse a qualifying 
word with a subject word. it may be that a shoemaker is 
a German shoemaker; if he makes wooden shoes, he is a 
wooden-shoe maker. 

Do not compound (when used together) "first and 
second year students," ete; use the hyphen after either 
"first" or "second" when employed singly, as "first-year 
students," "second-class passage." 



16 What Every Writer Should Know 






A present or past participle with a noun or an adjective 
may take a hyphen in such expressions as the following: 
Always wind-obeying deep; well-dealing countrymen; 
dark-working sorceress; fool-begged patience. 

Make "fullback," "halfba-ck," "homestretch," "back- 
stretch," "courthouse," "bathhouse," "clubhouse," "sta-ke- 
boat," "anyone," "anybody," and words of like character, 
one word; "left halfback" and "some one," "no one," two 
words; "quarter-stretch," compound. 

Adverbs ending with "ly" are not compounded with the 
adjectives which they qualify, as "a nicely kept lawn." 
But words like "above," "ili," "well" and "so" are com- 
pounded in such expressions as "the well-known writer," 
"the so-called reform," "the ill-advised expenditure," "the 
above-named article." 

PARENTHESES 

Marks of parenthesis are used to inclose matter which, 
while having some relation to that which is stated in a 
sentence, forms no part of its structure. On account of 
a freer and a more uncomplicated mode of writing tban 
that adopted by the older writers, there is a growing 
tendency to dispense with parentheses. 

Use parentheses with (white), (colored), (Indian), ete, 
after a name. 

If the name of a town is used as an adjective, put 
the name of the State in parentheses: "A Baltimore 
(Md.) merehant." 

When a comma or any other point is necessary where 
the mcidental clause is thrown in, it should be placed 
after the last mark of parenthesis: "Pride, in some dis- 
guise or other (often a secret to the proud man himself), 
is the most ordinary spring of action among men." 

If an entire sentence is in () or [], the punetuation 
should be within the () or []; otherwise it should be 
outside: "George Evans was the nexc witness. (He is 
the man wanted in another city.) The answer by him 
to one question was given (enough to satisfy counsel)." 

BRACKETS 

Brackets are used to inclose words, phrases or sen- 
tences inserted in or appended to a quotation and not 
belonging to it; also, to separate two subjects, or to inclose 
an explanation, note or observation standing by itself. 



What Every Writer Should Know 17 

The grammatical punctuation for brackets should be 
the same as that adopted in respect to parentheses. 

Use [Applause.] when a separate sentence, and 
[applause] or other interjected remark in the body of a 
sentence; aîso, [Correspondence.], [Special.], [Copy- 
right, 1915.], [General Order No. 1.], [Private.]. in the 
middle of the line. 

DASHES 

Use the dash to denote a sudden break or stop, as in a 
faltering utterance, at an abrupt change of sentence 
structure, an interjected parenthesis, or an epigrammatic 
turn of sentiment; a significant pause of special stress; 
an omission, as of suppressed words or letters. The 
dash is a useful and necessary mark, but a profusion 
of dashes is offensive to good taste and is an index of 
one's ignorance of the art of punctuation. 

Insert two-em dash after the first letter in a "swear" 
word. 

it is seldom necessary to put a dash arfter a comma or 
a colon. 

Never run dash över to begin line. in hearis, îf space 
will not permit use of dash, put period at end of line. 

Use em dash for introduction of bills. Example: Mr. 
Smith (by request) — A bili authorizing, ete. (Use "Mr." 
preceding the name.) 

The two-em dash is used when a sentence or a para- 
graph ends abruptly; and when quotation marks are used, 
put them before the dash. 

Put em dash after several words or expressions which 
constitute a nominative that is broken off amd resumed in 
a new form: "T o pull down the false and to build up 
the true, and to uphold what there is of true in the old — 
let this be cur endeavor." 

Use em dash before "to wit," "namely," "that is," "in 
fact," "in other words," when they precede an example 
or a specifîcation of particulars, or subjects enumerated. 
When "as," "viz," "i. e.," are used parenthetically, they 
should be preceded by a comma. 

When intermedıate expressions coalesce with the con- 
struction of the sentences in which they appear, darshes 
may be used instead of parentheses: "We have been 
friends in the past — in the whole of our history, indeed, 
we have never had a difference — but now that friendship 
is forfeited." 



18 What Every Wrîter Should Know 

Use em dasb after a series of phrases or clarnes when 
they Iead to an importafiıt conclusion: "The grasp of a 
cbild's little hand around one of our fıngers; its mighty 
little crow, when excited by the playfulness of its nurse; 
its manful springs upon the little woolpack legs that 
refuse to bear its weight — are ali traits of more or less 
pleasantness." 

APOSTROPHES 

The apostrophe îs used, cbîefly in poetry and in familiar 
dialogue, to denote the onıission of a îetter or letters. it 
is arîso used to distingulsh the possessive case of nouns, 
which is usually formed in the singuiar number by adding 
to the nominative an "s/' with an apostrophe before it, 
and in the plural by simply annexing this mark. 

Postal stations, whether compîimentary or given names, 
do not take the possessive. 

Use the singuiar form for such expressîons as "car- 
penter's trade" and "printer's ink." 

The apostrophe and "s" should be used in a case like 
this: "A brother of John Thompson's." 

Use the possessive before a participial noun: "in the 
event of Mr. Ball's accepting the position." 

Nouns ending in "s" take no additional "s" in the 
possessive: "Burns 9 poems," not "Burns's poems." 

Put the apostrophe in "St. Mary's," "Prînce George's" 
and "Queen Anne's" counties, Marylamd. Use the "s" in 
"St. Michaeîs" and "Sparrows Point," but no apostrophe. 

These pronouns do not take the apostrophe: "Mine," 
"yours," "his," "ours," "theirs," "hers," "its," "whose." 
The apostrophe is also omitted in "canst," "couldst," 
"mayst," "mightst," "wou!dst," "shouldst." 

When two or more nouns in the possessive are con- 
nected and denote separate owners of different things, 
the sign of the possessive is suffixed to each noun; when 
they denote joint owners of the same thing, the sign of | 
the possessive is suftıxed to the last word only: "Tom's 
and Jim's horses;" "Tom and Jim's horse." 

QÜOTATlONS 

Marks of quotation indicate that the words included 
between them are taken from some other writer or were 
used by some speaker. 

A quotation inside a quotation is single; inside that, 
double. 



What Every Writer Should Know 19 

Quote "L" Road and "at home" (reception). 

Never use a Biblical or other quotation without verify- 
ing it. 

Do not quote any communication carrying date and 
signature. 

Quote ali conversations, resolutions and direct testi- 
mony when leaded. 

If quotations are used at the beginning of a line of 
poetry, they should clear. 

When paragraphs appear in quoted matter, begin each 
one with quotation marks. 

Do not quote the names of steamers, ships, yachts, cars, 
boats, dogs, horses and residences. 

Poetry must not be quoted when introduced into the 
body of either leaded or solid matter. 

Quotations set in type smaller than the text and solid 
extracts introduced by leaded matter do not take quota- 
tion marks. 

Names of books and plays should be quoted in heads 
as well as in the body of matter. Names of plays are 
quoted also when followed by "Company." 

Do not quote when the credit follows the ma:tter, nor 
in dialogue where the name of the person speaking is 
given, as: Reporter— Do you deny it? Mr. Jones — I do. 

Quote anything preceded by the terms "entitled," "the 
word," "termed" and "marked"; but not "known as" and 
"so called," unless the words following are misnomers or 
slang expressions. 

If a quotation ends with any other point than a comma 
or a period, the point should follow the apostrophes, 
unless it is a part of the quotation: He asked, "Who 
are they?" Did you ever read Dickens' "David Copper- 
field"? 

When a quotation is introduced by the conjunction 
"that," or is brought in indirectly, a small letter is pref- 
erable: "it is said that, 'precious as thought is, the love 
of truth is stili more precious';" "Happy those who, 
'dying, leave no line they wish to blot'!" 



20 



What Every Writer Should Know 



Quote the names of pictures, statues, music, lectures, 
toasts, hymns, subjects of sermons and speeches, readings, 
mottoes and songs. Such well-known books as the Bible, 
dictionaries, encyclopedias, Revised Statutes and General 
Statutes are not quoted. 



D1VISIONS 

Divisions should take place as seldom as possible. 
Three or more successive lines ought not to end with 
hyphens. 

Do not divide a word of four letters, nor divide on one 
figüre. 

Avoid dividing compound words except at the com- 
pounding hyphen. 

Divisions on syllables of two letters should not be 
made, especially in the last line of a paragraph, unless 
to avoid bad spacing. 

Do not divide "colonel," nor any word pronounced as 
one syllable, such as "changed," "drowned," "learned" 
(to gain knowledge of) ; but "a learn-ed man." 

The addition of "s" to form the plural of a word does 
not make a syllable, and the word should not be divided 
on the last part so formed, as: "Hor-ses," "fen-ces," 
"circumstan-ces." 

When a vowel ends a syllable in the middle of a word, 
place it in the fırst line. "Promi-nent" is preferable to 
"prom-inent," "sepa-rate" to "sep-arate," ete. Excep- 
tions: in words ending in "able" or "ible" the single 
vowel is usually carried into the second line. . 



Note these divisions: 



Abun-dant 

Ac-cel-er-ate 

Ac-tive 

Ac-tor 

Ac-tual 

Ac-tress 

Ad-van-tage 

Ad-van-ta-geous 

Aft-er-noon 

Aft-er-ward 

An-arch-ist 

Ar-mis-tice 



Ar-tis-ti-cally 

As-pir-ant 

As-sess-or 

Au-di-tor 

Aus-pices 

Au-thors 

Aux-il-ia:-ry 

Bak-ery 

Band-age 

Ba-teau 

Bat-ter-y 

Be-a-tif-ic 



Blan-ket 

Boom-er-ang 

Bound-a-ry 

Bri-gaxle 

Bril-liant 

Bro-ca-telle 

Bro-ker 

Bro-ker-age 

Bun-gling 

Bur-gla-ry ' 

Ca-nine 

Can-ta-loupe 



What Every Writer Should Know 



21 



Car-tridge 

Ca-ve-at 

Cen-time 

Cer-ti-fi-ca-tion 

Cham-ois 

Chi-can-ery 

Chiv-al-ric 

Chiv-al-rous 

Ci-gar 

Cla-rine 

Cla-rissa 

Cle-o-pa-tra 

Co-los-sal 

Com-mu-ni-ty 

Con-clu-sive 

Con-struc-tive 

Con-ven-ient 

Cor-dial-ly 

Cour-a-geous 

Cour-te-ous 

Crea-ture 

Cred-it-or 

Crit-i-cal-ly 

Dar-ling 

De-bu-tante 

Dec-ade 

De-cid-ed-ly 

De-ci-sion 

Def-i-cit 

De-lir-i-ous 

Dem-o-crat 

De-moc-ra-cy 

Dem-on-stra-tion 

De-par-ture 

Des-ic-cate 

De-spair 

Des-ul-to-ry 

De-tec-tive 

De-ter-mine 

Det-o-na-tion 

Dev-o-tee 

Dip-lo-mat 

Di-plo-ma-cy 

Dis-clo-sure 

Dis-tinc-tive 

Di-vi-sion 

Dra-pery 



Dump-ling 

Dun-kard 

Ear-nest 

Ec-sta-sy 

Ef-fec-tive 

Eld-er 

El-e-men-ta-ry 

En-vel-op 

En-ve-lope 

En-thu-si-as-ti-cal 

Epit-o-mize 

Equil-i-brist 

Es-cutch-eon 

Ex-plic-it 

Ex-po-sure 

Fa-ther 

Fas-ten 

Fea-ture 

Fer-ti-li-zer 

Fledg-ling 

Fore-clo-sure 

For-gery 

For-mal-i-ty 

For-mal-ly 

For-ma-tion 

Form-a-tive 

For-mer-ly 

For-mi-da-ble 

For-mu-late 

For-tress 

Foun-der(verb) 

Found-er(noun) 

Friv-o-lous 

Fu-ner-al 

Fusil-lade 

Gal-lery 

Gay-e-ty 

Gor-geous 

Gov-er-nor 

Gran-deur 

Green-ock 

Guard-i-an 

Hab-it-able 

Han-dling 

Ha-rangue 

Has-ten 

Ho-siery 



Hy-drog-ra-pher 

Im-por-tance 

Im-por-tant 

Im-port-er 

Im-port-ing 

In-au-gu-rate 

In-clo-sure 

In-de-struc-ti-ble 

In-ex-haust-i-ble 

In-hab-it-ant 

In-her-it-ance 

In-iq-ui-ty 

In-ning 

In-sa-tia-ble 

In-stinc-tive-ly 

In-struct-or 

In-struct-ress 

Iron-i-cal-ly 

Is-land 

Jar-di-niere 

Jeop-ard-ize 

Jos-tle 

Jos-tling 

Ju-di-cia-ry 

Jus-tice 

Lam-en-ta-ble 

Laud-a-ble 

Le-ni-ent 

Lit-er-a-ry 

Li-tha?-mia 

Lit-te-ra-teur 

Ma-ri-an 

Mar-ion 

Mar-i-o-nette 

Mas-quer-ad-er 

Mass-ive 

Ma-tu-ri-ty 

Mead-ow 

Meth-o-dist 

Meth-uen 

Mi-li-tia 

Min-i-a-ture 

Mois-ten 

Mois-ture 

Mo-men-tous 

Moun-tain 

Mu-nic-i-pal 



22 



What Every Writer Should Know 



Myr-i-ad 

Nec-es-sar-ri-ly 

Nerv-ous 

Ni-tri-fi-ca-tion 

Nurs-ery 

Om-nis-cience 

Op-er-a-tor 

Orang-ou-tang 

Or-chard 

Out-ra-geous-ly 

Pag-eant 

Pam-p'hlet 

Par-lia:-men-ta-ry 

Par-ti-al-i-ty 

Pas-sage 

Pas-senger 

Pa-taps-co 

Pa-tri-ot-ic 

Pa-tri-ot-ism 

Pa-tron 

Pat-ron-age 

Pat-ron-ize 

Pend-ant(noun) 

Pend-ent(adj.) 

Pend-en-cy 

Pen-in-su-la 

Pen-i-ten-tia-ry 

Pe-ri-od 

Per-jur-er 

Per-ju-ry 

Per-son-al 

Phi-los-o-pher 

Phi-los-o-phy 

Phys-i-cal-ly 

Phy-si-cian 

Phy-sique 

Pi-geon 

Pla-card(verb) 

Plac-ard(noun) 

Plain-tiff 

Plain-tive 

Pleas-ur-able 

Pleth-ora 

Ple-thor-ic 

Plum-age 

Plym-outh 

Pred-e-ces-sor 

Prej-u-dice 



Prel-ate 

Pro-ce-dure 

Pre-sage 

Pres-sure 

Proc-ess 

Pro-duce(verb) 

Prod-uce(noun) 

Pro-duc-tive 

Pro-gress(verb) 

Prog-ress(noun) 

Pro-ject(verb) 

Proj-ect(noun) 

Pro-spec-tive 

Pro-spec-tus 

Pros-pect-or 

Pro-tec-tive 

Pro-tect-or-ate 

Prot-es-tant 

Pro-vi-sion 

Punch-eon 

Pyth-i-an 

Re-con-nois-sance 

Rec-on-noi-tre 

Re-demp-tor-ist 

Re-fin-ery 

Reichs-rath 

Reichs-tag 

Re-li-gious 

Re-pel-lent 

Re-pııb-li-can 

Re-qui-em 

Rep-re-sent-a-tive 

Req-ui-si-tion 

Re-scis-sion 

Re-spec-tive-ly 

Sal-vage 

San-a-to-rium 

Sav-ior 

Scar-city 

Schoon-er 

Sci-en-tist 

Se-cre-cy 

Self-ish 

Sen-ior-i-ty 

Serv-ice 

Slav-ery 

Spe-cif-i-cal-ly 

Splin-ter 



Ste-nog-ra-phy 

Sten-o-graphic 

Stiff-en 

Stran-ger 

Stmc-ture 

Sum-ma-ri-ly 

Su-per-vi-sor 

Sup-ple-men-ta-ry 

Syn-on-y-mous 

Tai-lor 

Te-di-ous 

Te-leg-ra-phy 

Tel-e-graph-ic 

Te-lepn-o-ny 

Tem-po-ra-ri-ly 

Tend-ency 

Ten-ure 

Tes-ta-men-ta-ry 

The-o-ret-i-cal-ly 

Thou-sand 

Thresh-old 

Tinc-ture 

Trai-tor 

Tran-scen-dent 

Tran-ship 

Tran-spire 

Trav-erse 

Trea-tise 

Trea-ty 

Trench-ant 

Tres-tle 

Trin-ket 

Trous-seau 

Ul-ti-ma-tum 

Un-err-ing-ly 

Unit-ed 

Venge-ance 

Ve-ran-da 

Ver-bal 

Vig-i-lance 

Vis-it-or 

Vy-ing 

Whisk-ers 

Wil-liam 

Will-ing-ness 

Wom-an 

Wres-tle 

Wres-tling 



What Every Writer Should Know 23 



CAPITALIZATION 

in book work especially the author should be given 
the benefit of doubtful capitalization. Great latitude is 
allowed in advertisements. 

Begin every sentence and ali proper names with capital 
letters; also, ali lines of poetry. 

Capitalize the fırst word of every quotation, example, 
precept or question introduced in a direct form. 

The principal words in addresses and in titles after 
signatures. 

Congressional, Legislative (of the Legislature), Guber- 
natorial, ete. 

Ali titles preceding names of persons. Lower-case 
when following. 

Titles of national, State, city and county public build- 
ings and institutions. 

Mr., Mrs., or any title preceding a signature set in caps, 
should be caps and small caps. 

Ali words in stand-out and side heads, except a, an, the, 
of, by, for, from, to, and, or, in, at, on. 

The Union (our own country), Federal and Confederate 
(referring to army or government), Stars and Stripes. 

Titles, with or without names, when referring to officers 
who constitute national, State, city and county govern- 
ments. 

The prefix "Ex" when used with titles preceding names. 
Mayor-elect, Senator-elect, ete, to be set with small "e" 
in eleet. 

State when referring to any of the United States (also 
when meaning government, as Church and State) ; Com- 
monwealth; Territory. 

Titles of honor and respect, as: His Honor, Her Majesty, 
His Excellency the Governor of Maryland, Your Royal 
Highness, Your Grace. 

Particular designations or titles of ali secret or other 
civic society officers if preceding the name without a 
comma, but not otherwise. 

Church (used as opposed to the world) when the name 
of the denomination precedes it, and when applied to a 
building \vith the name preceding. 



24 What Every Writer Should Know 

Holidays — Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, Christ- 
mas Eve, New Year's (Day), Washington's Birthday, 
Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day. 

Ali nouns and personal pronouns referring to the Deity 
and to Jesus Christ. Heaven, in reference to the celestial 
realm or God; lower-case when speaking of sky or air. 

Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, the Sun, the Earth, 
the Moon and the Stars when they are personified, but 
a small letter when they are used in ordinary composition. 

Specific titles, as: "Thank you, Doctor; the Colonel 
will be here tomorrow." The Commissioner, the County 
Commissioners, the Ambassador, the Chair, the Board, the 
Department. 

Governments, religious denominations, conventions, as- 
semblies, societies, companies, hotels, theatres, churches, 
clubs, conferences, legations, ambassadors, foreign min- 
isters, consuls, ete, when joined with distinetive names. 

The principal words in titles of books, plays, lectures, 
pictures, hymns, operas, music, subjects of speeches, 
readings, songs, mottoes and characters. Only the fîrst 
word and proper names in toasts, and texts of sermons 
taken from the Bible. 

The Dark Ages, the Middle Ages, the Reformation, Ihe 
Revolution (American and French), the Rebellion (Civil 
War), the War of 1812, Declaration of Independence, the 
Inquisition, the Mexican War, the Paris Salon, the Renais- 
sance, the Wilson Administration, the Twelve Apostles, 
the Seven Sages of Greece. 

The Cabinet of the United States, also of any foreign 
country, and the titles by which the members are officially 
known; also, the title of the chief ruler of a State or 
nation, and Vice-President and President of the Senate 
and Speaker of the House, whether preceding or follow- 
ing a name; departments and bureaus of county, city and 
State, and of this and foreign governments, and the official 
designation of the heads thereof. 

Congressman, Senatör, Representative, Member, Coun- 
cilman, Alderman, Assemblyman; Mayor and City Councıl 
of any town or city; Governor, Supreme Court, House of 
Representatives, Legislature, House of Delegates and 
General Assembly of any State; Congress, Senate, House, 
Parliament, Chamber of Deputies, Chamber, House of 
Lords, Lords, ete. (when the name of a legislative body 
of a State, province or country). 



What Every Writer Should Know 25 

The names of ali standing committees of any legislative 
body (city, State, national or foreign) ; the Democratic 
National Committee, Republican National Committee, 
Democratic State Central Committee, Republican State 
Central Committee, Democratic State Committee, Repub- 
lican State Committee, the State Committee, the Com- 
mittee, and other regularly organized committees; the 
Interstate Commerce Commission, the Commission, Grand 
Jury, Petit Jury. 

Do Not Cap it alize: 

Proposed commissions, committees, boards or officers, 
titles of bills. 

Collegiate degrees when spelled, as doctor of divinity, 
master of arts, ete. 

Clarence, victoria, brougham, dayton, rockaway, herdic, 
whitechapel — carriages. 

Names of ali dresses, hats, flowers and fruits, though 
derived from proper names. 

The word "the" before the name of a paper, company, 
ete, unless specially indicated. 

Points of compass, except in reference to seetions o± 
the United States and when the designation precedes a 
name. 

A congress of nations, a coroner's jury, titles of com- 
mon vocations (shoemaker Jones, barber Smith), river 
Seine. 

in foreign proper names containing de, dsc, della, di, d', 
T, van, von, ete, capitalize such words only when not 
preceded by title or Christian name. 

Macadam, mansard, chinaware, brussels, wilton, kidder- 
minster carpets, canary bird, india rubber, plaster of paris, 
paris green, italic, roman, gothic, ionic, romanesque, doric. 

City, county, creek, ocean, bridge, island, falls, canal, 
mountain, lake, run, river, bay, sea, strait, street, avenue, 
İane, alley, place, circle, market, square, row, ete, when 
preceded by proper name, except in such cases as Fred- 
erick City, Pocomoke City, Fail River, Buzzards Bay, 
Coney island, Staten island, and other names where the 
word is part of the name of the place. 



26 What Every Writer Should Know 



SPELUNG 

Webster's New International Dictionary is the standard 
of authority. 

That a word is not in a dictionary is no valid objection 
to a perfectly good, significant and duly minted vocable. 

in monosyllabic words ending in a consonant preceded 
by a single vowel the final letter invariably doubles in 
derivatives, as: Chat, chatted; drop, dropped. 

in words of more than one syllable, when accented 
on the last syllable, a final consonant preceded by a 
short vowel is usually doubled in derivatives, as: Excel, 
excelled; rebel, rebelled. When the accent is on any other 
than the last syllable, the consonant is not doubled, as: 
Equal, equaled; benefıt, benefited. 

The relative position of "e" and "i" in such words as 
"receive" and "believe" may be determined by the fol- 
lowing rule: When the derivative noun ends in "tion," 
the verb is spelled with "ei"; thus: Conception— con- 
ceive; deception — deceive; reception — receive. When the 
noun does not end in "tion," the verb is spelled with "ie," 
as : Belief — believe. 

Derivatives from words ending in "ge" carry the "e," 
as: Changeable, not changable — from change. 

As a rule, the principal parts of compound words take 
the plural sign: Courts-martial, fathers-in-law. 

When in doubt, omit the "ugh" in ali towns ending 
borough, English as well as American; also, the "h" in 
burgh, except in Pittsburgh and Edinburgh. 

Plural of attorney, attorneys; money, moneys; Knight 
Templar, Knights Templars; Mussulman, Mussulmans ; 
Ottoman, Ottomans; talisman, talismans. 

Omit the "s" in towards, afterwards, forwards, upwards, 
downwards, anywheres, somewheres, nowheres, anyways, 
and the "st" in amongst, amidst; also, omit the "s" in 
folks. 

The plurals of military titles are formed by adding 
"s" at end, as: Lieutenant colonels, surgeon generals. 
Civil titles usually add "s" to first part, as: Postfnasters 
General, Attorneys General. 



What Every Writer Should Know 



27 



Through established usage, spell these (exceptions to 
Webster) : Clue, centre, theatre, meagre, instalment. 

Quartet, quintet, ete; drought, not drouth; draft, not 
draught; defense, not defence; offense, not offence; pro- 
gram, not programme; marvelous, not marvellous; trav- 
eler, not traveller; employee, not employe; gypsy, not 
gipsy; gayety, not gaiety; intrench, not entrench; gayly, 
not gaily; indorse, not endorse; reinforce, maneuver, 
diarrhea 1 , homeopathy, smolder, molder, crape (crepe de 
chine); New Castle (America), Newcastle (England). 



The following list, giving the words ending in "ible," 
will be found useful; if the word does not appear here, 
the termination is "able": 



abhorrible 

accendible 

accessible 

addible 

adducible 

admissible 

adustible 

apprehensible 

ascendible 

audible 

bipartible 

circumscriptible 

elassible 

coctible 

coercible 

cognoscible 

cohesible 

colleetible 

combustible 

compactible 

compatible 

comprehensible 

compressible 

concrescible 

conducible 

conduetible 

confluxible 

contemptible 

contraetible 

controvertible 

conversible 

convertible 



convincible 

correetible 

corrigible 

corrodible 

corrosible 

corruptible 

credible 

decoctible 

deducible 

deduetible 

defeasîble 

defeetible 

defensible 

descendible 

destruetible 

diffusible 

digestible 

dirigible 

discernible 

disseetible 

distensible 

distraetible 

divertible 

divestible 

divisible 

docible 

edible 

educible 

effectible 

effervescible 

eligible 

eludible 



evincible 

exhaustible 

expansible 

expressible 

extendible 

extensible 

fallible 

feasible 

fencible 

fermentescible 

flexible 

fluxible 

forcible 

frangible 

fungible 

fusible 

gullible 

horrible 

ignitible 

illegible 

immersible 

immiscible 

impartible 

impassible 

impedible 

imperceptible 

impersuasible 

implarusible 

impossible 

impreseriptible 

impressible 

imputrescible 



28 



What Every Writer Should Know 



inaccessible 

inadmissible 

inapprehensible 

inaudible 

incircumscriptible 

incoercible 

incombustible 

incommiscible 

incompatible 

incomprehensible 

incompressible 

inconcussible 

incontrovertible 

inconvertible 

inconvincible 

incorrigible 

incorrodible 

incorruptible 
incredible 

indefeasible 

indefectible 

indefensible 

indelible 

indeprehensible 

indestructible 

indigestible 

indiscernible 

indiscreptible 

indivisible 

indocible 

inducible 

ineffervescible 

ineligible 

ineludible 

inevasible 

inexhaustible 

inexpansible 

inexpressible 

infallible 

infeasible 

inferrible 

inflexible 



infrangible 

infusible 

inscriptible 

insensible 

instructible 

insuppressible 

insusceptible 

intactible 

intangible 

intelligible 

interconvertible 

intervisible 

invendible 

inventible 

invertible 

invincible 

invisible 

irascible 

irreducible 

irrefrangible 

irremissible 

irreprehensible 

irrepressible 
irresistible 

irresponsible 

irreversible 

legible 

marcescible 

miscible 

negligible 

nexible 

omissible 

ostensible 

partible 

passible 

perceptible 

perfectible 

permiscible 

permissible 

persuasible 

pervertible 

plausible 



possible 

prehensible 

prescriptible 

producible 

productible 

putrescible 

quadrible 

receptible 

redemptible 

redressible 

reducible 

reflectible 

reflexible 

refrangible 

remissible 

renascible 

rendible 

reprehensible 

resistible 

responsible 

reversible 

revertible 

risible 

seducible 

sensible 

sponsible 

subdivisible 

subvertible 
supersensible 

suppressible 

susceptible 

suspensible 

tangible 

terrible 

transfusible 

transmissible 

transmittible 

tripartible 

vendible 

vincible 

visible 

vitrescible 



What Every Writer Should Know 



29 



Rare words ending in "ible ,! 



affectible 

cessible 

committible 

compossible 

convictible 

cullible 

discerpible 

discerptible 

evadible 



evasible 

exigible 

impatible 

impermissible 

incognoscible 

infractible 

insubmergible 

suasible 

tensible 



traducible 

transvertible 

unadmissible 

unexhaustible 

unexpressible 

unflexible 

unfusible 

unrepressible 

unresponsible 



The correct spelling of the following words is "ise," 
nearly ali others taking "ize": 



advertise 

ativise 

affranchise 

apprise 

catechise 

chastise 

circumcise 

comprise 

compromise 

demişe 

despise 



devise 

disfraiîchise 

disguise 

divertise 

emprise 

enfranchise 

enterprise 

excise 

exercise 

exorcise 

franchise 



ımprovıse 

incise 

manuprise 

merchandise 

misprise 

premise 

reprise 

revise 

supervise 

surmise 

surprise 



We often fınd errors in the plurals of nouns ending in 
"o." To avoid this, bear in mind the following general 
rule: If there is a consonant before the final "o," the 
plural is "es"; but if a vowel precedes it, the plural is 
formed by adding only the "s." There are, however, 
some exceptions to this rule, as follows: 



albinos 

armadillos 

bravos 

bustos 

cantos 

centos 

didos 

dominos 

duodecimos 

dynamos 

embryos 

frescos 



gauchos 

halos 

inamorafos 

juntos 

lassos 

limbos 

mementos 

merinos 

mestizos 

octavos 

octodecimos 

pianos 



provısos 

quartos 

rotun dos 

salvos 

sextodecimos 

siroccos 

solos 

tobaccos 

twos 

tyros 

virtuosos 

zeros 



30 



What Every Writer Should Know 



Note the spelling of nanıes of the following counties: 



Allegany in Maryland and 
New York. 

Alleghany in North Caro- 
lina and Virginia. 

Allegheny in Pennsylvania. 

Andrew in Maine. 

Andrews in Texas. 

Aransas in Texas. 

Arkansas in Arkansas. 

Barber in Kansas. 

Barbour in Alabama and 
West Virginia. 

Brooke in West Virginia. 

Brooks in Georgia. 

Brovvn in ali States. 

Bulloch in Georgia. 

Bullock in Alabama. 

Burnet in Texas. 

Burnett in Wisconsin. 

Cheboygan in Michigan; 
Sheboygan in Wisconsin. 

Clarke in Alabama, Georgia, 
Iowa, Mississippi, Vir- 
ginia and Washington; ali 
others Clark. 

Coffee in Alabama, Georgia 
and Tennessee. 

Coffey in Kansas. 

Coal in Oklahoma. 

Cole in Missouri. 

Coles in Illinois. 

Cook in Illinois and Minne- 
sota. 

Cooke in Texas. 

Davidson in North Carolina 
and Tennessee. 

Davison in North Dakota. 

Davie in North Carolina. 

Daviess in Indiana, Ken- 
tucky and Missouri. 

Davis in Iowa and Utah. 

Dickenson in Virginia. 

Dickinson in Iowa, Kansas 
and Michigan. 



Dickson in Tennessee. 

Douglas in ali States. 

Glascock in Georgia. 

Glasscock in Texas. 

Green in Kentucky and Wis- 
consin; ali others Greene. 

Johnston in North Carolina 
and Oklahoma; ali others 
Johnson. 

Kearney in Nebraska. 

Kearny in Kansas. 

Lawrence in ali States. 

Loudon in Tennessee. 

Loudoun in Virginia. 

Muscogee in Georgia. 

Muskogee in Oklahoma. 

Park in Colorado and Mon- 
tana. 

Parke in Indiana. 

Pottawatomie in Kansas and 
Oklahoma. 

Pottawattamie in Iowa. 

Sanders in Montana. 

Saunders in Nebraska. 

Smyth in Virginia; ali others 
Smith. 

Stanley in South Dakota. 

Stanîy in North Carolina. 

Stark in Illinois, North Da- 
kota and Ohio. 

Starke in Indiana. 

Stephens in Georgia, Okla- 
homa and Texas. 

Stevens in Kansas, Minne- 
sota and Washington. 

Storey in Nevada. 

Story in Iowa. 

Terrell in Georgia and Texas. 

Tyrrell in North Carolina. 

Vermilion in ali States. 

Woods in Oklahoma; ali 
others Wood. 

Wyandot in Ohio. 

Wyandotte in Kansas. 



What Every Writer Should Know 31 



ABBREVIATIONS 

in particular general work avoid abbreviations as far 
as possible. 

Fort and Mount should be spelled. 

A. M., M. and P. M. (capitals), clock time. 

Titles of collegiate degrees are abbreviated after names. 

Viz (for videlicet) and ss (for scilicet), omitting the 
period. 

Abbreviate ali parts of a title or none. Spell deacon 
and chaplain. 

The name of a State or a Territory following a town, 
city or village should be abbreviated. 

Alex, Ben, Ed, Fred and Sam are not always abbrevia- 
tions. Follow copy as regards period. 

As a rule, the names of foreign countries are to be 
spelled. Exceptions: N. P., N. F., W. I., P. E. I., N. S., 
when so written. 

When Christian names are not given, military or naval 
and some professional titles preceding names are spelled. 
Christian names followed by one or more initials may be 
abbreviated. 

Ala., Ariz., Ark., Cal., CoL, Conn., Del., Fla., Ga., 111., 
Ind., I. T., Kan., Ky., La., Md., Me., Mass., Mich., Minn., 
Miss., Mo., Mont, Neb., N. H.,.N. J., N. M., N. Y., N. C, 
N. D., Nev., Okla., Ore., Pa., P. I., P. R., R. I., S. C, S. D., 
Tenn., Vt., Va., Wash., W. Va., Wis., Wyo. Spell Idaho, 
Iowa, Ohio, Alaska, Texas, Utah, Guam and Hawaii. 

Spell the word "company" in cases where the short and 
(&) is not employed, except in fırm names and names of 
railroads, ete, where you may abbreviate. Do not spell 
part of a fırm or corporate name and abbreviate the 
remainder, as: Baltimore and Ohio R. R., or the B. & O. 
Railroad; but B. & O. R. R., or Baltimore and Ohio Rail- 
road; the Baltimore Traction Company, not "Co." (R. R. 
for railroad and Ry. for railway.) 



32 What Every Writer Should Know 



FIGURES 

Spell numbers under 10, except in statistics, street 
numbers of houses, dimensions, votes, bets, latitude, longi- 
tude, temperature, ages, time of day, time of races, chap- 
ters, articles, clauses, fıre-alarm boxes, sections, bonds, 
per cent, sums of money, and distances (spell when a 
fraction of a mile is given). If some are only units, use 
figures for numbers when they come together. 

"in the early seventies" (not 70's) ; "in the eighties" 
(not 80's). 

in dimensions use the form 8 by 10 inches in text, not 
8x10 inches. 

Ordinal numbers should be spelled in reading martter: 
"Thirty-first year, tenth session." 

When sums of money are used as adjectives, express 
in figures, as a 5-cent piece, a $10 note, a $1,000 house. 

Scriptural quotations as follows: "I Romans xix, 4-5." 
After numerals in "Benedictus XV," and such, omit period. 

Spell both numbers of two related amounts at begin- 
ning of sentence: "Twenty or thirty soldiers were killed." 

Always spell indefınite sums — as, a thousand, thirty or 
forty millions. Follow copy reading "ninety and nine," 
"half a million," ete. 

Figures are to be used in mixed numbers, as: A house 
2% stories high; a 2>^-story house. But: The house was 
a story and a half. 

When two numbers come together, as "10 5-inch guns," 
"6 10-room houses," spell fırst number: "Ten 5-inch 
guns," "Six 10-room houses." 

The words "section" and "article" when used at the 
beginning of paragraphs should be spelled in the first 
instance and abbreviated thereafter. Ordinal numbers 
when used as side heads should be spelled, followed by an 
em dash; when run in, use commas and semicolons. 
Cardinals in figures, followed by a period. Thus: 

Section 1. That, except in cases of greart 

Sec. 2. That no officer or other person 

First — If the premises assumed are ten- 

This for three reasons: First, it is right; second, it is 
just; third, it ic expedient. 

No. 1. This lot comprises many new and 

1. The revenue officer thinks it about 



What Every Writer Should Know 33 



ITALIC 

Unless copy is specially prepared, italic must not be 
foîlowed in general work to denote emphasis. 

Names of animals, vessels, ete., should not be in italic. 

italic is sometimes used for headings, according to 
one's decision. 

Foreign words, except those anglicized by common use, 
should be in italic. 

în book work the names of newspapers and periodical 
publications are usually italicized. 



SPACING 



Spacing should be governed by the leading. Ali solid 
matter should be spaced with 3-em spaces, and words 
run up rather than divided; leaded also should be spaced 
with 3-em spaces, and words divided rather than syllables 
carried up. in double-leaded matter en quads should be 
used, and divisions avoided if possible. 

Avoid when possible very thin or very wide spacing of 
the first line of a paragraph. 

Space \vith en quads in lower-case black, small-cap and 
cap-and-small-cap lines; two 3-em spaces in cap lines. 

The contraetions Esq., Sr. and Jr. should ahvays be in 
the same lines as the names they follow. 

Keep together at the beginning or the ending of a line 
such abbreviations as U. S. N., D. C, N. Y., M. D. 

Ete, A. M., P. M., D. D., and similar abbreviations, 
should not run över in a line by themselves at the end 
of a paragraph. 



3İ What Every Writer Should Know 



PITFALLS OF THE ENGLISH LANGUAGE 

"Consensus of opinions" is correct. 
He wasn't six feet "tali," not "high." 
The men "fled" for safety, not "flew." 
People "raise" corn and "rear" a child. 
"We have (not have got) six children." 
Omit "equally" or "as" in "equally as good." 
Write "soon or late," not "sooner or later." 
"Be that as it may," not "Be that as it will." 
"Ete," not "&c," and one "ete." is sufficient. 
To be "quartered" at a hotel would be painful. 
Avoid such dog-Latin slang as "with a vim." 
"Fewer" refers to number; "less," to quantity. 
Write "with a view to" and "with the view of." 
"The day before yesterday," not "day before." 
"He, can accomplish it better than I (not me)." 
"Some means or other (not another)" is correct. 
"Made out of whole eloth," not "the whole eloth." 
"Put in appearance," not "Put in an appearance." 
"You act just as (not like) your brother aeted." 
He was hurt "on the head," not "about the head." 
Ordinarily, "Esq." should be omitted after a name. 
Ditto marks in tabular work and advertisements only. 
"Can but" and "cannot but" have different meanings. 
Do not use "£12 sterling"; omit the word "sterling." 
Avoid two kinds of pronouns in the same sentence. 
Do not use "elosed fıst"; say "fıst," or "elosed hand." 
Avoid "poetess," "doctress," "artiste" and "authoress." 
"A few days ago" is preferable to "A few days since." 
Omit "but" in "There is no doubt but that he is going." 
Say "Between you and me," not "Between you and I." 
The same year that he was born — "in the same year." 
"While going down the street;" "while" is superfluous. 
"Going to go" and "going to come" should not be used. 
"Cyclopedia"and"encyclopedia"are identicarl in meaning. 



What Every Writer Should Know 35 

"Had ought" is a vulgarism in the class with "had 
went." 

"Beastly drunk" is a phrase that has no justification 
in fact. 

Say that the horse was driven "in harness" and "to 
wagon." 

"He will go, provided (not providing) that he has 
money." 

Say "a humble," not "an humble"; "a historic," not "an 
historic." 

"She does not think of him as a writer only" (not 
"alone"). 

The horse held the bit "between" his teeth, not "in" 
his teeth. 

A family "named" Patterson, not "of the name of" 
Patterson. 

"I intend to go (not going) away." Verbs do not göv- 
em participles. 

"Farther" relates to distance; "further," to time, quan- 
tity and degree. 

"He was in so tad a condition," not "He w£3 in such 
a bad condition." 

Use for pen name "pseudonym" or "pseudonyme," not 
"nom de plume." 

"An iron-works" and "a barracks" are regarded as 
legitimate phrases. 

"The value consists largely in its ability (not capacity) 
to produce sugar." 

"Whence," "thence" and "hence" do not require the 
preposition "from." 

Say "The reason he did it is that (not because) he 
thought it was right." 

Omit "No." before street numbers; also, "D. C." in 
Washington date line. 

Do not start every sentence with ths same word — 
("The," for example). 

"One of the best books that have (not has) been writ- 
ten is to be given away." 

"He is not worthy of the name;" "She sat opposite to 
me." Use the preposition. 

Do not say "Not as I know," "I do not know as," ete. 
Use "that" instead of "as." 



36 What Every Writer Should Know 






"Than" is used af ter "other," "otherwise" and "else," 
and not "but" or "except." 

Do not use "this much" for "so much"; "that far" 
for "thus far" or "so far." 

Write: "Committee of Ways and Means," "Committee 
of Elections"; others, "on." 

in lists of names which are run in use the conjunction 
"and" before the last name. 

We admit or deny the truth of a "proposition"; we 
accept or reject a "proposal." 

The phrase "wreak vengeance" is a pleonasm. Venge- 
ance is "taken" or "executed." 

"Crime" is a statutory wrong;. "sin" is a violation of 
creed; "vice" is a moral wrong. 

"Let you and me (not I) do it." The imperative mood 
takes the objective case af ter it. 

Say "each other" in referring to two persons or things; 
"one another," to more than two. 

He is a long "way" from home, not "ways"; "Away 
down" in Georgia, not "way down." 

"So far. as I am concerned," not "as far"; "Not nearly 
so good," instead of "near as good." 

Two persons differ "from" each other in appearance 
and differ "with" each other in opinion. 

Do not use the indefınite article before "most": "That 
was a very (not most) interesting book." 

"To propose" is to suggest, to set before the mind for 
consideration ; "to purpose" is to intend. 

Use the comparative degree in speaking of two objects: 
"Of the two brothers, John is the younger." 

"What kind of writer (not a writer) is he?" "He is 
but a poor writer at the best (not at best)." 

"By" emphasizes the idea of agency; "through," that 
of means or cause; "with," that of instrument. 

"Awfully sweet," "awful pretty," "pretty ugly," ete, 
suggest the idea of slang and may be avoided. 

Write "besides" when an adverb, "beside" when a 
preposition: A new one "besides," "beside" him. 

Avoid the preposition "of" after "ali": "During ali 
(of) this time;" "Ali (of) the members were present." 

With "the" before a participle the preposition "of" 
should be used: "He objected to the giving of one cent." 



What Every Writer Should Know 37 

Anybody can see the inelegance of "Here where there 
is,'* 'There are there," "Here there are" and "There are 
here." 

Not "widow of the late," but "wife of the late"; and do 
not say of a dead man "He left a wife," but "He left a 
a widow." 

A word may be "abbreviated" or "contracted," but a 
sermon or a book when curtailed or shortened is 
"abridged." 

One dies "of" cholera, not "from" cholera or "with" 
cholera. One suffers "from" a wound and suffers "with" 
a disease. 

"Former" and "latter" are used in speaking of two 
objects; "fîrst" and "last," when more than two objects 
are named. 

Avoid the use of superfluous words: Rise "up," ofT 
"of," sink "down," settle "up," över "with," up "above," 
down "below." 

Use "into" when denoting entrance, not "in," as: "He 
came into the room;" "He fell in the street." "in" 
denotes situation. 

"The man was hanged" telis the whole story; needless 
to add "from a gallows." Inanimate objects are "hung"; 
men are "hanged." 

"They exchanged confidences among one another" 
should be "among themselves," or, if more than two, 
"with one another." 

Avoid "avocation" for "vocation." "Vocation" signifîes 
the main calling or business of life; "avocation," a diver- 
sion from that calling. 

"Between" refers to two objects or sets of objects; 
"among," to more than two. There are exceptions: "He 
planted corn between two rows," ete. 

Do not say "a dinner occurred," nor "an explosion 
took place." Things oecur by chance or accident; they 
take place by plan or arrangement. 

"Either" is sometimes improperly used for "each"; 
thus: "Trees lined either side of the road" should be 
"Trees lined each side of the road." 

Do not use "per year," but "a year"; "per day," but "a 
day." "Per annum" and "per diem" are ebrreet. Do 
not mate words of different languages. 

A disease or other evil may be "aggravated," but not 
a person. Referring to the latter in this sense use 
"aggrieved," "exasperated" or "provoked." 



38 What Every Writer Should Know 

("Nee" means "born.") "Nee Miss Aggie Mitchell" 13 
İncorrect; write "nee Mitchell," or "formerly Miss Aggie 
Mitchell." Do not use "nee" with a masculine noun. 

The pronoun following the verb "to be" should be in 
the nominative case: "I knew it was he." The infinitive, 
however, takes the objective: "I knew it to be him." 

"Elder" and "eldest" are usually applied in speaking of 
members of the same family, and "older" and "oldest" 
of persons of different families, as well as of things. 

The funeral took place "at" the house, not "from" the 
house. He preached "in" a church, not "at" a church. 
He was arrested "in" Philadelphia, not "at" Philadelphia. 

"A red, white and blue flag" and "A red, a white and 
a blue flag" are different. The former means one flag 
of three colors; the latter means three flags of different 
colors. 

The nominative case is used before a parenthetical 
expression that comes between a subject and its verb: 
"He prepared for ali who (not whom) he thought would 
be present." 

This locution is very objectionable: "I was in a posi- 
tion to have known." Make "to have known" read "to 
know." The time is sufficiently given in the first verb of 
the sentence. 

One person corresponds "with" another person; one 
thing corresponds "to" another thing. Two persons are 
reconciled "to" each other; two measures are reconciled 
"with" each other. 

Do not follow "last night at 8 P. M.," "yesterday morn- 
ing at 7 A. M." Make read "last night at 8 o'clock," 
"yesterday morning at 7 o'clock"; or use "yesterday at 
8 P. M.," "yesterday at 7 A. M." 

Avoid ending sentences with prepositions. "Is he the 
man you are acquainted with?" should be written "Is 
he the man with whom you are acquainted?" "Where 
was he?" not "Where was he at?" 

Prophecy is a noun; prophesy is a verb. Spoonfuls, 
bucketfuls, cupfuls, ete, are above reproach. Good will 
and ili health are two words. On to, not onto. Ali 
right, not alright. A while, not awhile. 

Supply the words "on" and "that" in such cases as 
these: "He came to Baltimore (on) Monday and arrested 
James Smith (on) Tuesday;" "He told me (that) he 
would come." Do not say "on yesterday." 



What Every Writer Should Know 39 

Words in apposition must agree in case, but they may 
or may not agree in number, person and gender. "We 
miss our workman, he who was so kind," should be 
"We miss our workman, him who was so kind." 

Two negatives make an affirmartive: "I can't do any 
more," not "I can't do no more"; "There is nothing more 
expensive or more cruel," not "nor more cruel." "Not 
a child nor a chicken was to be seen" is ali right. 

Use the preposition and the relative pronoun instead of 
the adverb in cases like these: "He spoke of a place 
in which (not where) he is much interested;" "He knew 
of no means by which (not how) he could accomplish 
the task." 

Supply the word "Mr." before the name of a clergy- 
man when initials are not used: The Rev. J. T. Jones, 
the Rev. (Mr.) Jones; never the Rev. Jones. Similarly 
with "Hon." (The article "the" should be placed before 
such titles as "Rev." and "Hon.") 

Avoid doubling "that" in a sentence of this kind: "I 
teli you that if such a law were passed (that) it would 
overthrow the government." Punctuate the sentence and 
make it read: "I teli you that, if such a law were passed, 
it would overthrow the government." 

An adverb should not be used as an adjective. Avoid 
the following: Looks sweetly, for looks sweet. Feel 
badly, for feel bad. Feel good, for feel well. Looks 
handsomely, for looks handsome. Smells sweetly, for 
smells sweet. Tastes badly, for tastes bad. 

Change "He was elected to succeed himself" to "He 
was re-elected." One person "succeeds" another, or one 
of his own terms of office-holding "succeeds" his own 
previous term, but a person no more "succeeds" him- 
self than he becomes a "substitute" for himself. 

The qualifying article "only" has its place very strictly 
assigned by the laws of expression: "The drama, upon 
which the curtain had fallen only (not had only fallen) 
a short time before, was one of war." Always place 
"only" as near as possible to the word which it modifies. 

Use these: By and by; by the bye; good-by. Ali- 
round, not all-around. Stayed, not staid. Underhand, not 
underhanded. Pleaded, not plead. Summoned, not sum- 
monsed. Overflowed, not overflown. Forecast, not fore- 
casted. Yeas and nays, not ayes and noes. Proved, not 
proven. 



40 What Every Writer Should Know 

"Financial" is used of money matters in general, as 
"fînancial" interests of the country; "monetary" has more 
direct reference to money as such, as the "monetary" 
unit; "pecuniary" suggests the application of money to 
practical ends, as "pecuniary" difficulties, wants, obliga- 
tions, rewards. 

Transpose "two first," "two last," ete, whenever the 
fcwo form a first pair or group of persons or things, cor» 
responding to or distinguished from a last pair or group. 
The "two first" should be used only in referring to two 
persons or things each of which is at the head of its own 
series, or both of which are foremost in the same elass 
not divided into pairs. 

Set ali signatures in capitals and small capitals (abbre- 
viated, if so in copy), unless they are run into one 
paragraph. Omit the word "Signed" before signatures, 
except in advertisements. "Yours truly," "Very respect- 
fully," ete, are usually put in the centre of a separate 
line, with the signature thrown slightly from the right end 
of the following line. 

RELATIVE PRONOUNS 

"Who" is used when reference is made to persons 
(less commonly to animals), and to things which are 
personifıed, as: "The judge who presided;" "The Sun, 
who rulest the day." 

"What" is employed in referring to both persons and 
things. it is often incorrectly used for the conjunetion 
"that"; thus: "I do not know but what it is true" should 
be "I do not know but that it is true." 

"Which" relates to inferior animals, to infants and to 
things without life, as: "The birds which sing;" "The 
child which was lost." it is also used when the objects 
composing the unit denoted by a colleetive noun are 
referred to colleetively, as: "The mob which killed him." 

"That" implies a eloser conneetion with the antecedent 
than "who" or "which," and is equally applicable to per- 
sons, animals and things. it is used instead of "who" or 
"which" in the following instances: After an adjective 
or an adverb in the superlative degree, as "He read the 
best books that could be procured"; after the adjective 
"same," as "Others share the same difficulties that we 
encounter"; atfter the personal pronoun "it" used indefi- 
nitely, as "it was he that committed the fault"; after 
"who" used interrogatively, as "Who that indulges in 
vice can be îıappy?" 



What Every Writer Should Know 41 

PROPER USE OF VERBS 

One of the most common errors is the use of a plural 
pronoun after a collective noun and a verb in the singular 
number. Example: "The committee was in session, but 
'mey' took no action," should be "was in session, but 'it' 
took no action." Collective nouns, however, while gram- 
matically singular, are often so modifıed as to convey 
plural ideas and require plural verbs and pronouns: "A 
number of men were present, but they soon left." 

"Whereabouts" as a noun takes a singular verb: "His 
whereabouts was unknown." 

These words require plural verbs: Candelabra, criteria, 
data, effluvia, errata, memoranda, momenta, phenomena, 
strata; thus: "These data are ali we have," not "This 
data is ali we have." 

Ali the distributives refer to nouns in the singular, as: 
"Every day has its duties." 

Do not use a singular subject with a contracted plural 
verb: "She doesn't (not don't) açıt well." 

"Three and a half feet of water" is a singular concept. 
"There was 10 feet of water on the ground." 

Sums of money in the singular, as: "For this service 
$100 was paid;" but, "The assets were $100" (here 
"were" agrees with "assets"). 

A verb having two or more subjects of different per- 
sons, connected by "or" or "nor," agrees in person with 
the subject nearest to it, as: "Either he or I am going." 

Do not use a plural pronoun with a singular antecedent, 
as: "Every man or woman should do their duty;" or. 
"If you look anyone straight in the face, they will surely 
flinch." 

The indefînite "none," although strictly meaning no 
one, refers to nouns in the singular or in the plural, as: 
"A boat was wanted, but none was there;" "Many were 
examined, but none were found qualified." 

If a collective noun is intended to suggest plurality 
in the subject, it takes a verb in the plural; if unity, it 
takes a verb in the singular: "The family were absent;" 
"Congress holds its sessions in the Capitol." 

When singular subjects connected by "and" are pre- 
ceded by "each," "every," ,r no," or a similar distributive, 
they are considered separately and require verbs in the 
singular, as: "Every nerve and sinew was strained." 



42 What Every Writer Should Know 

A verb having two or more subjects in the singular, 
connected by "or," "nor," "as well as," "but," "save," 
is in the singular number, as: "Either the man or the 
woman was crazy." But if one or more of the subjects 
are plural, the verb should be plural, as: "Neither he 
nor his friends were to be blamed." 

If you cannot use a subjunctive correctly, let it alone. 
Note the corrections in brackets: "If there ever were 
[has been] a case where an appeal \vere [\vas] neces- 
sary," ete.; "If we were not interested, it would mean 
that we were [are] without imagination;" "He looked as 
though he were [as if he was] about to leave." 

Verbs with two or more subjects of different persons, 
connected by "and," are in the first person if one of the 
subjects is in the first person, as: "He and I (we) are 
going." If there is no subject in the first person, the 
verb is in the second person if one of the subjects is in 
the second person, as: "You and he (you) are going." 

A verb having two or more subjects, connected by 
"and," mentioned or understood, is in the plural number, 
as: "Truth, honor and merey are noble qualities." But 
two or more subjects in the singular, connected by "and" 
and used to denote but one person or thing, require verbs 
in the singular, as: "That statesman and patriot merits 
gratitude." 

The word "to" ought not to be separated from the 
remainder of the infinitive verb by inserting another word. 
"Be careful to not disturb him" should read "Be careful 
not to disturb him"; "So to direct," not "To so direet." 
Smoothness determines whether the adverb should be 
placed before or after the infinitive: "I do not expect 
always to find him there;" "I am unable to teli exactly." 
Incomplete infinitives should be avoided: "He has not 
göne, nor does he intend to (go)." 

Examples of the proper use of auxiliaries: "Shall (not 
will) we hold a conference?" "He comes with a promise 
that he will (not shall) ask a trial." ("Shall" implies 
obligation; "will" implies intention or purpose. When a 
question is asked, the form is used that is expected in the 
answer.) "If I should (not would) go West, I should (not 
would) be obliged to neglect my business;" "One would 
(not should) act wisely in avoiding the doubtful use 
of a verb." (in any case of simple futurity — being neither 
a promise nor a determination — the auxiliary must be 
"should.") 



What Every Writer Should Know 43 

QUICKSANDS 

Note the following forms of expression, which often 
appear, leaving out words in parentheses when used as 
here given: 

A (dull) thud. 
(Invited) guests. 
Widow (woman). 
A (solid) phalanx. 
(Close) proximity. 
Good (vocal) singer. 
(Marriage) nuptials. 
(Funeral) obsequies. 
Audible (to the ear). 
Visible (to the eye). 
(Present) incumbent. 
A (seeming) paradox. 
Suffocated (to death). 
Infirmities of (old) age. 
She opened (up) a store. 
He surrenders (himself). 
(Agreeably) disappointed. 
She was a (new) beginner. 
(Totally) destroyed by fire. 
She fell prone (on her face). 
Throughout the (whole) book. 
Taken (with) cum grano salis. 
That is no criterion (to go by). 
He was a carpenter (by trade). 
Fifty (live) birds were liberated. 
The dwelling (house) was burned. 
They lay supinely (on their backs). 
He fell 50 feet (to the ground below). 
His goods were sold at (public) auction. 
The garden illuminated with (lighted) lanterns. 
(in) so far. There is no such word as "insofar." 
He had a grocery (store). "Grocer," not "groceryman." 



44 What Every Writer Should Know 



WORDS AND PHRASES TO BE AVOIDED 

(Refer to dictionary for difference in meaning of words.) 

Accident, for injury. 
Accord, for give. 
Affect, for effect. 
Ali, for whole. 

Ali hands, for ali or everybody. 
Alluded to and referred to, for mentioned. 
Amateur, for novice. 
Answer, for reply. 
Anticipate, for fcresee or expect. 
Apparent, for evident. 
Appreciate, for know or aware. 
Approve of, for approve. 
Apt, for likely. 

Armament of, for the arming of. 
Associate, for assistant. 
Audience, for spectators. 
Badly, for very ınuch. 
Balance, for remainder. 
Banquet, for dinner or supper. 
Bound, for determined. 
Bountiful, for plentiful. 
Bravery, for courarge. 
Calculate, for believe, suppose or think. 
Called upon, for called on. 
Canine, for dog. 
Casket, for coffin. 
Character, for reputation. 
Cheap, for low-priced. 

Circumambient, for ambient. As well prefıx circum to 
circulate. 

Claim, for say, assert or maintain. 
Commence, for begin. 
Complected, for complexioned. 
Complete, for finished. 



What Every Writer Should Know 45 

Conclude, for close. To conclude is a mental process. 
Conscious, for aware. 

Conservative. The proper use of this word is in the 
sense of preserving from injury, inncvation or the like. 
Considerable, for much. 
Contemplate, for propose. 
Contemptible, for contemptuous. 
Continual, for continuous. 

Convene. The delegates, not the convention, convene. 
Cortege, for procession. 
Cotemporary, for contemporary. 
Cunning, for small or dainty. 
Curious, for remarkable. 
Gustom, for habit. 
Customer, for purchaser. 
Cut in half, for cut in halves or cut in two. 
Cute, for acute. 
Depot, for station. 
Depreciate, for deprecate. 
Different than, for different from. 
Disfigure, for deface. 
Dispense with, for dispense. 
Dock, for pier or wharf. 
Doctor, for physician. 
Emigrant, for immigrant. 
Evacuate, for vacate. 
Exceptionable, for exceptional. 
Exemplary,,for excellent. 
Expect, for suspect. 

False pretenses, for false representations. 
Fault, for defect 
Favor, for resemble. 
First, for single. 
First-rate, as an adverb. 
Fix, for arrange or prepare. 
Flippant, for trivial. 
Fly, for flee. 
Fractured, for broke. 
Funny, for odd or unusual. 



46 What Every Writer Should Know 

Generally, for usually. 

Good enough, for well enough. 

Groom, for bridegroom. 

Guess, for suppose or think. 

Gums, for overshoes. 

Had rather, for would rather. Had better, for would 
better. 

Hate, for dislike. 

Healthy, for healthful. 

Identified, for associated or connected. 

Illy-spent, for ill-spent. 

in the event that, or if by any chance, for if. 

Inaugurate, for begin. 

Indorse, for approve. 

Infringe on, for infringe. 

Injured, for damaged. 

Insinuation, for charge or accusation. 

Item, for extract or paragraph. 

Jewelry, for jewels. 

Jubilant, for rejoicing. 

Last, for latfest. 

Lay, for lie. Lay takes an object; you lay a thing on 
the floor. Lie down. 

Learn, for teach. 

Leave, for quit. 

Leave it alone, for let it alone. 

Lengthy, for long. 

Lit, for lighted or alighted. 

Loan, as verb for lend. One lends money. 

Located, for situated. 

Love, for like. 

Lurid, for brilliant. Lurid means pale, gloomy or ghastly. 

Mad, for angry. 

Murderous, for deadly or dangerous. 

Mutual, for common. Mutual implies reciprocity of 
relations. 

Neglect, for negligence. 

Nice, indiscriminately. Real nice may be doubly faulty. 

Notorious, for noted. 



What Every Writer Should Know 47 

Number, for amount. 

Observe (to heed), for say. 

Officer, for patrolman. 

Official, for officer. 

Pair, for couple. 

Pants, for trousers. 

Patrons, for customers. 

Portion, for part. Partially, for partly. 

Postal, for postal card or post card. 

Posted, for informed. 

Post-graduate, for graduate. 

Practical, for practicable. 

Presented with, for presented. 

Presume, for think or believe. 

Pretend, for profess. 

Preventative, for preventive. 

Previous, for previously. 

Progress, for advance. 

Quantity, for number. 

Quite a few, for many or not a few. 

Raise, for rise. 

Real, as an adverb. Real good, for really or very good. 

Realized, for obtained. 

Receipt, for recipe. 

Recommend, for ask. it is bad rhetoric to use "recom- 
mend" in the sense of "advise" or "counsel." 

Relative, for relatively. Relative is an adjective when 
not a noun. 

Reliable, for trustworthy. 

Remains, for body. 

Remark, for say. 

Render, for sing. You sing a song, but render lard or a 
judgment. 
Rendition, for performance. 
Repudiate, for reject. 
Retire, for go to bed. 
Ride and drive, interchangeably. 
Right away, for immediately. 
Sanitarium, for sanatorium. 



48 What Every Writer Should Know 

Scholar, for pupil. 

Secure, for get, obtain, procure, come into possession of. 

Seldom or ever, for seldom if ever or seldom or never. 

Selection of, for the selecting of. The product of the 
selecting is the selection. 

Set for sit. Set takes an object; you set a thing on 
the floor. Sit down. 

Sewerage, for sewage. 

Some or any, in an adverbial sense: "I have studied 
somewhat (not some) ;" "I have not studied at ali (not 
any)." 

Some four or fıve days, for about four or five days. 

Spell, for period. 

Standpoint, for point of view or viewpoint. 

State, for say. 

Stop, for stay. 

Storms, for rains or snows moderately. 

Subsequent, for subsequently. 

Sweat, for perspire. Beasts sweat. 

Talent, for ability. 

Tastily, for tastefully. 

Tender, for give. Tender a payment; give a reception. 

Thirsty, for dry. 

Through, for finished. 

Transpire, for happen. 

Try and do, for try to do. Try an experiment, for 
make an experiment. 

Under the circumstances, for in the circumstances. 

Unwell and sick, for ili. 

Venerable, for aged. 

Ventilate, for expose or explain. 

Veracity, for truth. Veracity applies to persons; truth, 
to things. 

Want, for need and require. A thing that is inanimate 
cannot want. 

Wholesome. for healthy. 

Wish, for hope. 

About, for almost, around. Above, for preceding, fore- 
going, more than, beyond. Besides, for except. Mighty, 
for very. Most, for almost. Över, for more than. White, for 
when. Whether, for if. Without, for unless. 



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